Analogies
Subject: Mental Ability | Frequency: 2-3 questions per APPSC paper | Time: 30-45 sec/question
Introduction
Analogy questions test your ability to identify the relationship between a given pair and find another pair with the identical relationship. APPSC favours word analogies (worker-tool, place-famous for) and number analogies (square, cube). Quick identification of relationship type is the key skill.
Core Method
- Read the given pair and understand both words/numbers
- Identify the relationship — ask "What connects A to B?"
- Verbalize it — form a sentence: "A is to B because..."
- Apply to options — find the pair that mirrors the EXACT same relationship
- Eliminate distractors — superficial similarity is not the same logical link
- Verify direction — A:B must have the SAME direction as C:D
Golden Rule: The relationship must be identical in type AND direction.
Types with Examples
| Type | Example | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Synonym | Happy : Joyful :: Sad : ? | Similar meaning → Sorrowful |
| Antonym | Hot : Cold :: Big : ? | Opposite → Small |
| Part-Whole | Page : Book :: Room : ? | Component of → Building |
| Worker-Tool | Carpenter : Hammer :: Surgeon : ? | Professional-instrument → Scalpel |
| Item-Category | Rose : Flower :: Dog : ? | Member of class → Animal |
| Function/Purpose | Knife : Cut :: Pen : ? | Object-action → Write |
| Product-Material | Cloth : Cotton :: Paper : ? | Made from → Wood |
| Male-Female | Bull : Cow :: Horse : ? | Gender pair → Mare |
| Country-Capital | India : New Delhi :: Japan : ? | → Tokyo |
| Country-Currency | India : Rupee :: USA : ? | → Dollar |
| Unit-Measurement | Kilogram : Weight :: Meter : ? | → Length |
| Number (square) | 4 : 16 :: 5 : ? | n² → 25 |
| Number (cube) | 2 : 8 :: 3 : ? | n³ → 27 |
| Letter position | AB : CD :: EF : ? | Consecutive pairs → GH |
Worked Examples — Easy
Q1: Doctor : Patient :: Lawyer : ?
- Relationship: Professional : Person served
- Doctor treats a patient; Lawyer represents a client
- Answer: Client
Q2: Bird : Nest :: Horse : ?
- Relationship: Animal : Dwelling
- Bird lives in nest; Horse lives in stable
- Answer: Stable
Q3: 9 : 81 :: 11 : ?
- Relationship: Number : Its square
- 9² = 81, 11² = 121
- Answer: 121
Worked Examples — Medium
Q4: Marathon : Race :: Hibernation : ?
- Relationship: Specific instance : General category
- Marathon is a type of race; Hibernation is a type of sleep
- Answer: Sleep
Q5: Cobbler : Leather :: Tailor : ?
- Relationship: Craftsperson : Material
- Cobbler works with leather; Tailor works with cloth
- Answer: Cloth
Q6: ACEG : BDFH :: MOQS : ?
- Pattern: Alternate letters. M(13),O(15),Q(17),S(19) — each +2
- Corresponding shift: N(14),P(16),R(18),T(20) — each +2
- Answer: NPRT
Worked Examples — Hard
Q7: 7 : 56 :: 9 : ?
- Pattern: n × (n+1) → 7 × 8 = 56, 9 × 10 = 90
- Trap: Students may try n² (49, 81) — but 56 ≠ 49
- Answer: 90
Q8: Connoisseur : Art :: Gourmet : ?
- Relationship: Expert appreciator : Domain
- Connoisseur appreciates art; Gourmet appreciates food
- Answer: Food
Q9: SEND : VHQG :: HELP : ?
- S→V(+3), E→H(+3), N→Q(+3), D→G(+3)
- H→K(+3), E→H(+3), L→O(+3), P→S(+3)
- Answer: KHOS
Shortcuts & Tricks
| Shortcut | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Name the relationship first | Before looking at options, describe the link in one phrase |
| Direction matters | A:B is different from B:A — maintain the same order |
| Number analogies: check square first | Most common: n², then n³, then n(n+1) |
| Letter analogies: convert to numbers | Use position values (A=1...Z=26) to spot arithmetic patterns |
| GK-based: memorize common pairs | Capitals, currencies, inventions, famous landmarks |
| Eliminate by category | If relationship is function-based, drop synonym/antonym options |
Common Mistakes
- Reversing the relationship direction — A:B should have the SAME direction as C:D
- Choosing superficially related words — "Doctor : Hospital" is NOT the same as "Doctor : Patient"
- Ignoring degree/intensity — "Warm : Hot" requires a similar intensity jump
- GK gaps — Not knowing capitals/currencies leads to wrong answers on factual analogies
- Overthinking simple relationships — The simplest explanation is usually correct
Exam Strategy
- APPSC keeps these at easy-to-medium difficulty
- Build a mental catalog of the 14+ relationship types above
- Identify the type BEFORE looking at options — this prevents distractor traps
- Time: 30-45 seconds; if you can't identify the relationship in 15 seconds, mark and move on
- Negative marking: -0.333 per wrong answer — skip if unsure between 2 options
Practice Questions
- Pen : Write :: Knife : ? → Cut (function)
- Cub : Lion :: Kitten : ? → Cat (young-adult)
- Agra : Taj Mahal :: Paris : ? → Eiffel Tower (place-famous for)
- 3 : 27 :: 4 : ? → 64 (n³)
- Paw : Cat :: Hoof : ? → Horse (body part-animal)
Key Terms / Formulas
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Analogy | A comparison based on identical relationship |
| Verbal analogy | Word-based pairs |
| Number analogy | Mathematical relationship (square, cube, n(n+1)) |
| Letter analogy | Alphabet position-based pattern |
| Direction | The order of the relationship (A→B must match C→D) |